ENGLEWOOD, Colo. — Over the last several seasons, the Broncos have prioritized adding talent in the trenches.
And on Day 2 of the 2026 NFL Draft, Denver continued its investment in building at the line of scrimmage, selecting defensive tackle Tyler Onyedim with the 66th-overall pick after trading back from the 62nd-overall selection.
Head Coach Sean Payton, who said that Onyedim was one of the handful of players the Broncos had targeted for the pick, acknowledged that talented defensive tackles can be hard to come by during free agency. Ultimately, Onyedim's success at the position — in addition to his athleticism — is what made him the best addition to the Broncos' roster.
"I think going through this process, it was really the athleticism and playing a position that it's always hard to find: defensive tackles," Payton said. "His strike, his shed. But it was the athlete, the make-up. Those were the traits."
General Manager George Paton said that much was evident during Onyedim's first three college seasons, which he spent at Iowa State. His final college season at Texas A&M, however, was where he truly bolstered his profile — posting career highs in sacks (2.5) and tackles for loss (8.5) in 2025. And though Denver already boasts a talented defensive front that includes players like Zach Allen, D.J. Jones, Malcolm Roach and Onyedim's former college teammate, Eyioma Uwazurike, the newest Broncos defender will still have an opportunity to come in and make an impact.
"When we're taking a player in that spot, we discuss vision all the time," Payton said. "They're going to come in, earn their place, but we go through this all the time. After the read, [it's about] Broncos' vision, Year 1. It was positive. Not only from the scouts, but the coaches, as well."
Beyond his athleticism and on-field production, though, Payton and Paton praised Onyedim's character, describing the importance of finding a "Bronco fit."
"As you begin to procure talent into a roster that we have, into a culture that we have, [character is] very important," Payton said.
As the Broncos look ahead to Day 3 of the draft, culture fit will continue to be part of the evaluation process. After selecting just one player during the first two days, the Broncos currently hold seven selections on Saturday — and Paton believes the most important work is still ahead. With two selections early in the fourth round — the 108th- and 111th-overall picks — Denver will look for the next critical additions to its roster.
With Onyedim on the roster, though, the Broncos have added a talented player at a key position.
"When you look at our roster, it could have been offensive line at the right position," Payton said. "It could have been a few other positions. It's harder to find those defensive linemen and offensive linemen. When the window of free agency begins, they're valued. They're hard [to find]."
